


Chained to a Wall

by KieraElieson



Series: Kiera’s Bad Things Happen Bingo [4]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Bad Things Happen Bingo, Gen, Janus is Patton’s dad, Miscommunication, Surprisingly Fluffy, chained to a wall
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-22
Updated: 2020-10-22
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:54:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,881
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27143458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KieraElieson/pseuds/KieraElieson
Summary: Logan wakes up in a cell, chained to the wall, and apparently held captive by his father’s friend, the magician Janus. And... Patton says he can’t be happy? What on earth is that supposed to mean? And why’s he being held here anyway?
Relationships: Deceit | Janus Sanders & Morality | Patton Sanders
Series: Kiera’s Bad Things Happen Bingo [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1952992
Comments: 20
Kudos: 71





	Chained to a Wall

Logan woke groggily, lifting a hand to his head and surprised at the chain attached to it. It took him a moment to shake off enough of the fuzz from his mind to realize he was in a cell, chained to the wall with only a few feet of chain. 

A boy walked by, and froze, turning to him with wide eyes. “He did it! You’re really here!” 

Logan was more than a little confused. “What’s going on?”

The boy seemed to have many thoughts passing through his mind, his forehead creased in thought, and when he spoke he completely ignored Logan’s question. “Are you happy?”

“Am I— am I what?” Logan asked, completely confused. 

“Happy.”

Logan shook his head. “I don’t- I suppose not. I’m more confused than anything else. What’s happening? Why am I here?”

The boy’s mouth opened, and then shut. “I don’t think I’m supposed to tell you.”

That was at least something. This boy was someone’s servant, most likely, judging by his clothes, and judging by the obvious magical residue spotted on his face and glasses his master was probably a magician. So Logan had been kidnapped by a magician. He would have guessed for ransom except for the question of whether or not he was happy. That certainly made things more confusing. Perhaps revenge? He didn’t think he’d made enemies, but perhaps revenge against his parents. 

“What can you tell me?” Logan asked. 

“Ummm… hopefully, you’ll only be here for a month.”

“That seems like a strange thing to be allowed to tell me.”

The boy frowned. “Well, I don’t know. It’s not a promise. Especially if you get happy it’ll take longer.”

“I fail to see why that has any significance.”

The boy’s face screwed up in thought. “I don’t think I can tell you either. I have to ask my—uhhhh, my master.” And then he turned and ran off. 

Logan just sighed. This was certainly not how he’d expected the day to go. He got up, testing his limits. He couldn’t quite reach the bars of the cell with how far the chain let him go. There was a small bed, which was surprisingly soft for something in a cell, and around the bucket in the corner was hung a curtain. There was a spigot which trickled out water, and a small grated drain. The cell was clean too. 

It was reasonable, if bare. Which only confused him more. Why kidnap someone and put them in a cell if you intended on treating them reasonably? He would’ve thought that cells were for prisoners you intended to make miserable, and otherwise you would give them a proper, though well locked, room. 

A door down the hallway opened, and Logan felt a spike of fear through him at the sound of heavy footsteps. But his confusion only grew when he recognized the man that appeared. 

“Janus? You… why?”

Janus’s face was as even and smooth as stone. “I don’t wish you harm. But you will stay here.”

Logan stood up. “Why?! What does this accomplish?! My parents have always favored you! You would merely have to ask, and almost anything could be yours.”

Janus didn’t betray a single emotion. “I will not tell you my purposes.”

Anger rushed through Logan. “You are insane! Nothing will come of this! No matter how ‘unhappy’ you make me, it won’t get you anything you wouldn’t have already gotten without this treachery.”

“Unhappy—? Patton. Patton, come back down here!” Janus called. 

The boy came running. “Yes?”

“What did you tell him?”

Patton suddenly looked very worried. “I didn’t say anything you said not to! I told him it might be a month.”

Janus sighed, dragging a hand down his face. “And why is he saying things about being unhappy?”

Patton frowned in confusion. “I thought that was the point?”

Janus sighed again, but it was mixed with a slight chuckle. He knelt and put his hands on Patton’s shoulders. “That is not what I said. But let’s not talk to Logan about any of that any more, ok?”

Patton nodded readily. “Sorry.”

“Why don’t you go get dinner into trays now, ok?”

“Ok! Bye, Logan!” Patton waved and ran off again. 

Logan was still confused. He was getting incredibly mixed signals. 

“So what is this?”

“I’ve already said I won’t explain my purposes. But, essentially, you are my prisoner until the time I release you. Patton was correct, I estimate it will take a month for me to be ready to let you go.”

“But why?”

Janus raised an eyebrow slightly. “How many of the meetings your father holds do you attend?”

Logan frowned. “Most of them.”

“Then you ought to be able to figure it out on your own.”

  * •^*^••



Logan had been in the cell for a week now, and was  _ incredibly  _ bored. Patton visited many times each day, and Janus would often come have cryptic conversations with him in the evenings, but that still left him bored. And restless, not that he could do anything about it. Other than pace at the limit of the chain, back and forth, over and over, still trying fruitlessly to figure out why he was here and why he ought to know. 

And then Patton came skipping down, holding a cookie in each hand. “Da—- Janus said we could both have one!”

Logan put on a bright smile. “Thank you, Patton! You know, I was curious, we both have glasses, but I’m wondering how different they are.”

Patton’s head cocked to the side in clear interest. “Oh. I don’t know.”

“Why don’t you come in? We can sit on my bed and have a picnic with the cookies and test each other’s glasses.” Honestly, Logan didn’t think that Patton would fall for it, though he hoped he would. 

“Ok!” Patton fished a key out of his pocket and opened the cell door. 

That had been even easier than Logan would’ve guessed. Patton came right in and sat on his bed. 

Logan sat down calmly, trying not to startle Patton, before he grabbed him, holding his arms tightly. 

But Patton still didn’t startle, just trying to tip his head to look at Logan. “You’re not very good at giving hugs.”

Logan let out an annoyed sigh. “This isn’t a hug, I’m trapping you. Call Janus.”

Patton shrugged slightly. “It’s kind of like a hug.”

“Just call him.”

Patton opened his mouth, and then shut it again. “It’s weird.”

“What is?”

“Calling him Janus when we’re at home.” Patton gave a brief pout, and then took a deep breath and shouted. “Janus!”

Janus didn’t come quickly. His steps seemed even more slow than usual. 

“Yes?”

“Logan’s trapping me.” Patton said readily. 

Logan didn’t even have a chance of looking threatening, not with Patton acting as if it was just all a poorly executed hug. But he could still try. “I know Patton isn’t your servant.”

Janus raised an eyebrow lazily. “And what is he then?”

“He’s your son. You wouldn’t want him to get hurt.”

Janus clapped slowly. “Congratulations, it only took you a week to realize what most women whisper about after the first meeting.”

Logan frowned. 

“Comfy, Patton?”

Patton nodded. “I’m good!”

Logan sighed in defeat, releasing Patton. 

“I’m sorry to say it, as I’m sure it’s frustrating, but you’re in my house, Logan. You won’t be winning any of these little battles.”

“But why are you keeping me here!?” Logan yelled. “There’s no benefit to you! And once I get out you’ll be arrested for treason!”

“Come on out, Patton,” Janus said. 

“You are  _ not  _ the man my father thinks you are!” 

For once, there was a flicker of something over Janus’s face, but he just closed the cell, took Patton, and left. 

  * •^*^••



Logan was provided with books after that, and Patton was strictly forbidden from entering his cell. 

And then one day Janus came downstairs, looking uncharacteristically annoyed. “I’ve lost a bet. You have the option to come upstairs for dinner tonight.”

Logan was surprised, but nodded. “Yes.”

Janus came into his cell, putting a spell over the cuff on his wrist before taking the chain off. “You won’t be able to leave the house. I’d rather not have to fight over it.”

Logan nodded solemnly, though he had little intention of passing up an attempt at escape if it presented itself. 

When they made it up to the dining room Patton was standing next to the table, which was laid out with nearly a feast, and he looked both very tired and incredibly proud of himself. 

Janus bowed slightly. “I am very pleased to attend, Patton.”

Logan also bowed slightly. 

Patton’s bow was much less formal, more like a happy little bob. 

The dinner was formal, and Logan was allowed to ask about the outside affairs, though he did not always receive answers. Patton was gently cut off several times throughout the dinner, just before he could say something that Logan desperately wanted to know about. Logan also was cut off every time his temper flared, and it made him feel very much like he was Patton’s age again. 

But then Patton started excitedly telling Logan about his garden, and how things had grown in the last three days since the last time he’d rambled about it, and Janus asked Logan about the contents of the books he’d been reading, and the conversation grew into something far more enjoyable. 

After dinner, where, in Logan’s experience, it was common for the adults to move to a sitting room with wine, Patton ran off, and came back in a few minutes with a tray. There were three steaming mugs of hot chocolate, and they all sat down on comfortable couches in another room to drink them. 

Patton cuddled up to Janus’s side, and they all sat still, and comfortable, mostly staring into the fire. 

Once Patton set his cup down Janus wrapped an arm around his shoulders and rested his hand in his hair, petting gently. Patton relaxed into it, and gradually fell asleep and slumped over into Janus’s lap. 

“I don’t understand you,” Logan said quietly. 

Janus just kept petting Patton’s hair, even though he seemed to be sound asleep. “You don’t need to.”

“I… I think… I might agree with you on the reason for your keeping me here, if you would explain it.”

“I believe the same. However, as much as it pains me to consistently anger you, it is necessary.”

Logan scowled. “What, so after kidnapping me and holding me here for two weeks you just want me to trust you that it’ll all turn out alright?”

“Actually, I would prefer you didn’t trust me. Patton wasn’t far off when he said that if you were to become happy it would require a longer stay.”

“And what’s wrong with being happy?!” Logan snapped, though he was careful to keep his voice down. “If this is supposed to be some kind of lesson I highly doubt I’m learning anything worthwhile.”

“It is not a lesson.”

“Then what is it?!”

Patton stirred slightly, and Janus glared at Logan, but soon Patton was breathing evenly again. 

“I can’t tell you. Telling you would entirely defeat the purpose.”

Logan scowled, and drank the last sip of his drink, which was by that point cold. 

  * •^*^••



If the goal was to make him miserable they were certainly succeeding. Once he’d almost gotten Patton to tell him everything he knew, which resulted in a spell being cast over Patton that caused him to clap his hand over his mouth whenever he spoke about what Janus decided was ‘secret information’. It made Patton a little grumpy, and made Logan far more annoyed. 

And then the books stopped coming. Only the same books, repeated over again, whenever he’d finished the ones he had. It was beyond frustrating. Especially when he was no closer to either an explanation or escape. 

And… while he would never,  _ ever  _ admit to it, he found himself getting homesick as well. 

In a way, he wished he could just fall asleep and stay asleep until the time was up. Until he could go home again. And for an entire day he tried to. He ignored Patton, and Janus, and just laid on the bed, trying to fall asleep and stay asleep. And barring that, to silently think about why he could be here. 

He wasn’t getting any answers. 

The cell door swung open, and he ignored it until he was suddenly swooped up into a bridal carry. 

He didn’t bother protesting. It was probably what Janus wanted anyway. 

“Pouting like that isn’t doing you any good,” Janus said, carrying him out of the cell and upstairs. 

Logan ignored him. Until he was taken outside. He hadn’t realized how much he’d missed it. 

Janus plopped him down on the ground, and Logan sat up and looked around. It seemed he was in Patton’s garden, which was soon confirmed by a dirt covered Patton appearing and holding out a pear to him, wrapped in a cloth. 

“This is the best one from today! You can eat it!”

Just being outside raised his spirits a lot, and Logan smiled as he took the pear. “Thank you.”

Patton beamed, and then went back to whatever he was doing. 

“I doubt you will ever favor me the way your father has,” Janus said quietly, looking out at the garden. “But someday, when you’re king, remember Patton kindly.”

Logan nodded slowly. “I will.”

Janus sighed heavily, as if in relief, and Logan really looked at him for perhaps the first time since he’d been kidnapped. He seemed tired, and worn, and there were faint marks on his clothing. And they were on his sides and back, not on his front as Logan would expect from spell residue. 

“What do you do?”

“I’m a court magician.”

“I know, but what have you been doing, specifically.”

“I can’t say.” Janus said tiredly. “If I could tell you, I certainly would.”

Logan turned to look out at the garden. “I believe you.”

  * •^*^••



Patton ran down the hallway, nearly slamming himself into the bars of the cage. “They did it, they did it, they did it, they did it!”

“What happened?!”

“They broke the curse!!”

“What curse?”

“Your curse!” Patton fumbled with keys to get the cell open and tackled Logan in a hug.

“I don’t understand.”

“Dad can tell you now!” Patton hastily undid the cuff from Logan’s wrist, and then there were other steps running towards them. 

Logan barely had time to register that it was his father before he was scooped up in a massive bear hug. He gripped back just as tightly. 

“Logan, I’m so sorry, I wanted to see you, truly. If there had been any way.”

Logan just hugged tighter, feeling suddenly like he might cry. 

Janus had arrived at some point, and cleared his throat. “We can move upstairs, and explain everything to Logan.”

Logan could barely stand the waiting until they were upstairs and seated. “What was all this?”

“The kingdom to the west, you remember the truce we have with them was unsteady,” his father started. 

Logan nodded. 

“There is a faction, both of our own people and of theirs, that believe we should have taken them over long ago.”

Logan nodded. He’d heard of this briefly. 

“This faction managed to get someone close enough to put a curse on you. We don’t know when exactly, only that it was several years ago.”

Logan nodded solemnly. 

“They activated that curse roughly a month ago, and sent us a threat in such a way that we thought it was the other kingdom.”

Logan nodded very solemnly. 

“It said that the effects of the curse would strike suddenly, in your happiest and most unsuspecting moment,” Janus said. 

Logan turned to look at him, many things slotting into place in his mind. 

“We’ve been trying to find them and to break the curse this whole time,” his father explained. “As a last option, Janus had a spell that would track the curse in reverse, but it would take time, at least several weeks.”

Janus nodded. “In the cuff, it’s why I kept it on you.”

“We had hoped to find them before that, but they were too well hidden. But once the spell worked we found them, and the curse is broken now.”

Logan nodded, his mind swimming with all of the information it had wanted for so long. 

Janus slipped off of his chair, to his knees, head bowed. “Regardless of necessity, I deeply apologize for the way I’ve treated you.”

Logan and his father spoke almost exactly at the same time. “Please, get up.” 

“You did well,” Logan said. 

His father nodded firmly. “Janus, you are the main reason Logan is still here and well. You have my gratitude forever.”

Logan nodded. “Anything you want within my power to give, I will do it.”

Janus shook his head, but Patton suddenly piped up. “He needs a vacation!”

Janus froze, but didn’t say anything against what Patton had said. 

Logan’s father spoke immediately. “Yes. Janus, please, rest. Take your time and train Patton.”

Logan was completely surprised to see Janus’s eyes grow wet as Patton ran over and hugged him tightly. 

“Thank you.”

  
  



End file.
